Girls Basketball
The Benton Lady Tigers opened defense of their District 1-4A title in impressive fashion Tuesday night with a 61-44 victory over the Minden Lady Tiders in Minden.
Madi Sessions scored 21 points to lead Benton, which improved to 11-6 overall. Gabby Jackson added 12 points and Megan Fream had 11.
Destiney Wallace and Arleshia Carper combined for 15 points.
Benton led 14-10 after the first quarter and then took control with a 16-3 run in the second.
In non-district action, Bossier knocked of Red River 55-43 at home, Airline fell to Ruston 50-38 at Ruston, and Haughton routed North DeSoto 60-29 at Haughton.
Tiffany Lynn scored 17 points to lead Bossier (8-11). Deniera McGlothan added 10 points. Bree Williams and Laschae Gadson combined for 13.
Claire Crawford and Nikki Bryant led Airline (8-11) with 11 points each, and Jasmyn Carswell had nine.
Mikayla Barber poured in 18 points as Haughton improved to 14-5.
Amber Brooks chipped in with 11 points. Chelcy Swint had nine, Mattie McCoy eight and Ebone’ Green seven.
Boys Basketball
The Haughton Buccaneers and Bossier Bearkats posted non-district victories Tuesday night.
The Bucs downed North DeSoto 78-69 at Haughton, and the Bearkats routed Red River 60-29 at home.
Elsewhere, Airline fell to Ruston 77-56 at Ruston, and Benton opened District 1-4A play with a 75-47 loss to Minden at Minden.
Haughton used balanced scoring to end a seven-game losing streak.
Ryan Hatchett and Javonte Woodard scored 17 apiece to lead the Bucs (6-10).
Tyler Grigsby added 16 points, and PJ Douglas had 13. Douglas scored six of his in the third quarter when Haughton turned a two-point halftime lead into a 14-point advantage going into the fourth quarter.
Bossier, fresh off winning its own tournament, got 18 points from Tevin Robertson and 12 from Rashard Owens in the victory over Red River.
Devonte Hall added nine points as the Bearkats improved to 18-3.
Hayden Hildebrand scored 18 points and Demetrius Early had 16 in the Vikings’ loss to Ruston.
The Vikings (4-11) face Haughton in a District 1-5A opener Friday at Airline.
Benton hung with a tough Minden team for a half, trailing just 26-23. But the Tide blew it open in the second.
Leondre Forbes paced Minden (18-3) with 21 points, and CJ Elkins had 20. DJ Bratten topped Benton (7-11) with 17 points. LeeAaron Alexander had nine.
